Hello my fellow fantasy football players. I'm new to this fantasy group and being a Rookie here I have a ton of questions about everything. So let me introduce myself. My name is Sam and I go by BADSAM1956 and I get the handle honestly. Not because I'm mean, but because I flirt to blasted much or at least my ex said so. If you want to know anything about me ask. I will tell you something, you decide if its true or not. Now back to the questions at hand. I guess Norbert can answer this better than most so here goes.

Since we are discussing player ratings I believe this also applies. How did the rating for some of the older teams become so great as compared to the new teams. For example I see a lot of the winning players using the early Chicago Bears (45 -50) and Philadelphia Eagles also from the same era for their defenses. I know that a few of these teams were good, but come on people, they weren't that great. The game is played different today as compared to then. The Single Wing and the 3 back T was a standard formation during the 30's and the 40's. The later 40's started to see the beginning of the 2 back pro backfield, but even then they used 2 TE and a flanker. We see the End listed as Ends without designation as to split or tight and usually the designated Flanker. So the defenses shouldn't be allowed such a great rating against the pass as they are getting as the forward pass was used less then. Look at the QB's for the proof of that. The attempts per game are much smaller than today and the QB's ran as much as passed, again an offshoot of the single wing style formations.

Another question I have for now, is there a place to view the price of players so I can plan for an upcoming draft? Again being new this gives one hell of an advantage to you seasoned players over us rooks that if we could have a little planning it would allow us to equalize the playing field a bit. We haven't had dozens of seasons to record the prices on the players yet. In other words, HELP!!!! I want to make this game a real challenge to all you big time players so one day I will be invited to join in your leagues.

The older teams are still relative to their period. We will most likely at some time re-evaluate the early teams, simply because standing out in a crowd of a dozen teams is a lot easier than standing out amongst 32. The formulas we used to rate the teams did not take this into account. Will the 42 Bears still be one of the top teams? Yes. Maybe not as dominant as they are right now though.

We have to rate the older teams this way, otherwise there would be no way to let them play in the sim. You would either have a team that dominates even more than it does now because their actual stats blows every modern team out of the water and the players underperform, or they all underperform because we say there is no way an older player can keep up with today's game. Normalizing the older teams to today's game can be seen sort of like saying if yesterday's top athletes grew up today playing today's game, this is what we would expect.

Although I would argue how would today's players handle playing on the old teams. Let's see them play the entire game on offense and defense. In any case, in order to allow the other teams to be competitive, we had to compromise and make some assumptions. I think we still have to work on the 40s teams though.

As far as viewing players without a team, there isn't a way right now. What most people do is set up their exhibition team so they can check prices and just never enter them in a league.

Thanks for explaining that Norbert. Being a rook I need a few things explained as to a child. LOL You referred to setting up an exhibition team so they can check prices and just never enter them in a league. I was under the impression of once in you were locked in till the end. So how would I set an exhibition team up without being put into a league?

Another thing, since you have some voice in how things are done how about this idea. A league that allows a player to pick the complete team. All positions offense and defense, line as well as skilled positions. On many of the games I have enjoyed over the years it is this type that I have enjoyed so very much. It gives me total control over who I have on my team and who is looking at somebody else's pug ugly across the line. It also allows a person to another way to play. It would allow the the ability to create teams all from a particular State or college. Some may find it tedious, but you will find a few who would like it. I know I would. This might apply is this how the dynasty college game works? All posistions?

Again thanks for the info. I will be bending the ears a lot until I get a grip on all of this. Just remind me I asked a lot if I get miffed with a rook when I've been here a while.

So how would I set an exhibition team up without being put into a league?

Use the exhibition team in your "Team Center" to make the draft choices and check prices, but when finished drafting, do not hit the enter button.

Another thing, since you have some voice in how things are done how about this idea. A league that allows a player to pick the complete team.

There are many theme leagues with various rules that allow for this exact scenario. A college alumni league has just begun, and there are several franchise leagues forming as well. There is also a league to only use players from the 1940's right now.

This might apply is this how the dynasty college game works? All posistions?

I have not played GD, but do know you need to fill all roster positions. No "units" (team defenses, offensive lines, special teams) are involved in GD.

About the only positions you can't draft inividuals in is the defense, and that has been hashed over many times. Basically, it comes down to the fact that it is difficult to assign inidividual ratings/stats to defensive players based on the limited amount of actual defensive stats recorded. The dynamic of defensive players playing together would also be lost.

Interesting discussion. Norbert, I appreciate your point about using ratings to steer expectations away from hard stats because of the range of outcomes in the sim, But using one season's worth of stats per player suggests that the range should be close to that season's range of performance. When defensive settings are "right" to contain Rudi Johnson, or certainly Jim Brown, one still anticipates most outcomes will mimic the results when real-world defenses keyed on them. If they don't, that would be a flaw in the sim. If they do, that's a more direct measure than ratings.

wow... incredible! norbert, u've just swayed me to sign up for my first nfl team. seble and tinman rarely, ever, take the time to discuss, explain and forecast the nba sim engine like u have done with the nfl engine in this forum. thanks so much. i learned a great deal in just 2 pages, and feel the pigskin pangs tugging at me.